Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Going Paperless at Home?

2:00PM Adam Pash | The New York Times highlights one Google engineer’s quest to achieve a paperless home, suggesting that while the paperless office may still be a ways off, a practical and paperless home may be just around the corner. Why? …at home, where printers are slow, noisy and devour expensive ink cartridges, people are more cautious about hitting the “print” button. What little paper comes into the home — receipts, bills, invitations — can be scanned and then shredded. Filing cabinets can be emptied, the data kept, the paper gone. Since Lifehacker readers are likely nearer to the forefront of the paperless lifestyle, let’s hear what kind of progress you’ve made toward a paperless home, along with what paper you’re just not willing to go without on the homefront (aside from the obvious toilet-kind) in the comments. Pushing Paper Out the Door [NYT] More »

All I want for Valentine’s Day

1:08PM Sarah Stokely | Is a customisable robot dinosaur. Yes, I agree that VD has been crassly commercialised and it’s really nauseating for the single folk out there. But no-one’s making you buy the crappy pre-written card, the box of supermarket choccies or the wilted roses. Use some imagination and give something personal. If your loved one shares your geeky tendencies, then don’t say it with roses, say it with geekery. :) Unlock Warrant’s Cherry Pie for her on Guitar Hero. Let her kick your arse at Wii Cow Racing. Hunt down her favourite classic game from the discount bin at EB and install it on her computer. Promise you’ll sit through “Pirates of Silicon Valley” or “Real Genius” with her (again). Get her an xkcd t-shirt. Buy the 2nd controller for your console game of choice so she can play with you. Stop raiding with your World of Warcraft guild for one night and level up your lowbie Warcraft toons together like you keep promising you will. Are you planning anything for Valentine’s Day? If you have any awesome geeky.gift ideas I’d love to hear them. Disclaimer: This list is not entirely my own personal wish list. I have no wish to play Cherry Pie on Guitar Hero. More »

Build a travel toiletries bag to save space

12:11PM Sarah Stokely | You can lighten your suitcase and be more comfortable on the road if you custom build a travel toiletries bag. You may already have a toiletry bag (preferably with multiple, sealable compartments) – but if you don’t, it should be the last thing you buy, not the first. I’ll explain why later. First, you should create a list of the toiletries you use on a daily basis – such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, face cleanser, moisturiser, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving kit and any medications you need. If you’re prepping for a longer trip, think about things like nail clippers, tweezers and nail files (remembering that if you’re flying these kinds of items need to go into checked baggage as they’ll likely be confiscated from your carry-on baggage). Next, decide which of these might be provided by the hotel or place that you’re planning on staying at. You may be fine with using hotel soap or shampoo and conditioner, in which case, great, no need to pack your own. Once you know what you need to take  on the road with you, time to think about how to downsize them. More »

The 20-Second DIY Apron

12:00PM Adam Pash | Brazillian weblog Superziper demonstrates how to turn a run-of-the-mill button-up into an makeshift apron when you’re in need. It’s simple, it’s quick, and useful. Zipervideo: Avental vapt-vupt [Superziper] More »

Kill Kitchen Sponge Germs in the Microwave

11:42AM Gina Trapani | That kitchen sponge you use to wipe down dishes, the sink, the cutting board, and counter is a breeding ground for bacteria—which you can easily kill in the microwave. Step by step web site wikiHow suggests several ways to de-germ your kitchen sponge, including thoroughly wetting the sponge (this part is important) and microwaving it for one minute to kill any yeast or mold that’s accumulated on it. Alternately you can put it through a dishwasher cycle, soak it in a bleach or lemon juice solution, or dry it out completely in between washes. Or, you know, you could just get a new sponge. How to Clean a Sponge [wikiHow] More »